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Microsoft PowerPoint XP/X

The Outline View

PowerPoint has several ways to view a presentation for different purposes. This document contains information on the Outline view, which can be very helpful in seeing the logical order of your whole presentation:    

return to topIntroduction to the Outline View

In the Outline view, PowerPoint displays your presentation as an outline made up of the titles and main text from each slide. Each title appears on the left side of the window along with a slide icon and slide number. The main text is indented under the slide title. Graphic objects appear only as a small notation on the slide icon in the Outline view.

Working in the Outline view is particularly handy because you can see the text of your presentation as a whole, rather than just the text and pictures you see in Slide view. The Outline view also makes it easy to rearrange your points, move slides from one position to another and apply formatting changes.

NOTE: The Normal view contains an Outline pane.  For more information, see The Environment

To use the Outline view:

  1. Windows: To the left of the slide work area, select the OUTLINE tab outline tab
    Macintosh: On the Slide View bar, click OUTLINE VIEW Outline View

return to topWorking in the Outline View

In the Outline view, you may work with your text formatted as it would appear in the presentation or in plain text.  Working with plain text allows you to see more of your presentation at once. You may also print with formatted text or plain text, depending on your view.

To view the Outlining toolbar

  1. From the View menu, select Toolbars » Outlining
    The Outlining toolbar appears.
    NOTE: There will be a check mark next to Outlining in the View menu when the Outlining toolbar is displayed.

To switch the view between plain text and formatted text

  1. On the Outlining toolbar, click SHOW FORMATTING show formatting button

To display only titles for the entire presentation

  1. Select the appropriate slide

  2. On the Outlining toolbar, click COLLAPSE collapse button
    OR
    Click COLLAPSE ALL Collapse All
    NOTE: It is not necessary to select all slides when using the Collapse all option.

To display all of the outline entries when some are hidden

  1. Select the appropriate slide

  2. On the Outlining toolbar, click EXPAND expand button
    OR
    Click EXPAND ALL Expand All
    NOTE: It is not necessary to select all slides when using the Expand all option.

return to topPrinting in the Outline View

When you print your outline, it prints whatever is showing in the Outline view (different formatting, collapsed, expanded).  Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the text size and zoom to ensure that your document will print correctly.

Windows:

  1. On the Outlining toolbar, adjust the size of your outline text by clicking SHOW FORMATTING show formatting button

  2. On the Toolbar, using the Zoom pull-down list, adjust the viewing scale  viewing scale pull-down list

  3. From the File menu, select Print...
    The Print dialog box appears. 
    print dialog box

  4. From the Print what pull-down list, select Outline View
    Print What pull-down list, Outline View

  5. Click OK
    The document prints in the Outline View.

Macintosh:

  1. On the Outlining toolbar, adjust the size of your outline text by clicking SHOW FORMATTING Show Formatting Button

  2. On the Standard toolbar, using the Zoom pull-down list, adjust the viewing scale

  3. From the File menu, select Print...
    The Print dialog box appears.
    print dialog box

  4. From the Copies & Pages pull-down list, select Microsoft Power Point

  5. From the Print What pull-down list, select Outline

  6. Click PRINT
    The document prints in the Outline View.

return to topMoving Paragraphs in an Outline

You can move a paragraph up or down a level in the outline. When you promote a paragraph, it moves to the left; when you demote it, it moves to the right. When you move a paragraph up, you exchange it with the one above; when you move a paragraph down, you exchange it with the one below.

To view the Outlining toolbar

  1. From the View menu, select Toolbars » Outlining
    The Outlining toolbar appears.

Promoting/Demoting a Paragraph in an Outline

  1. Click in the paragraph you want to promote or demote

  2. Windows: On the Outlining toolbar, click PROMOTE promote button or DEMOTE demote button
    Macintosh: On the Outlining toolbar, click PROMOTE Promote Button or DEMOTE Demote Button
    OR
    Highlight and drag the paragraph left or right in the outline

Moving a Paragraph Up or Down in an Outline

  1. Click in the paragraph you want to move up or down

  2. From the Outlining toolbar, click MOVE UP move up button or MOVE DOWN move down button
    OR
    Highlight and drag the paragraph up or down in the outline

return to topMoving Slides in an Outline

  1. To rearrange your slides, click and drag the icon for the slide slide icon you want to move to the appropriate location
    All the body text for that slide moves with the icon.

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